BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- CNN President Jim Walton has apologized for the insulting remarks made by CNN commentator Jack Cafferty on China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here on Thursday.
"On behalf of CNN I'd like to apologize to the Chinese people for that," said Walton in a letter to Chinese ambassador to the United States Zhou Wenzhong, according to Qin.
Walton also said, "CNN has the highest respect for Chinese people around the world and we have no doubt that there was genuine offense felt by them over the Jack Cafferty commentary."
In early April, Cafferty said in a live show that Chinese products were "junk" and the Chinese were "basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years."
As a result of complaints from China, CNN in April issued a statement saying "it was not Mr. Cafferty's nor CNN's intent to cause offense to the Chinese people, and CNN would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way."
At that time the network stated that Cafferty was offering his "strongly held" opinion of the Chinese government, not China's people.
China rejected CNN's explanation. Chinese Foreign Ministry and the embassy in the United States lodged several solemn representations with CNN and demanded that it make an apology.
People and organizations inside and outside China have also criticized Cafferty's "goons and thugs" comments.
Cafferty's remarks are strongly in contrast to the professional ethics of the media and the conscience of humanity, and caused strong indignation and accusations from all Chinese people both at home and abroad, Qin said.
"We hope CNN and Cafferty would learn lessons from this and safeguard their professional reputation to avoid such things from reoccurring," the spokesman said.
He also hoped CNN would make "comprehensive, objective, and balanced reports" on China and Sino-U.S. relations and do more to help promote the mutual understanding of the two peoples and the healthy development of Sino-U.S. relations.
新华网快讯：记者15日从外交部获悉，近日，美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）总裁致函中国驻美国大使，代表CNN正式向中国人民道歉。
新华网北京5月15日电 外交部发言人秦刚15日表示，美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）主持人卡弗蒂发表辱华言论，严重违背新闻职业道德和做人的良知，激起中国民众和海外华侨华人强烈义愤和谴责。中国外交部及中国驻美国大使馆多次向CNN提出严正交涉，要求CNN向中国人民道歉。
近日，CNN总裁致函中国驻美国大使，代表CNN正式向中国人民道歉。信函说，“CNN对全世界华人怀有最崇高的敬意。我们确信，中国人民确实被卡弗蒂的评论所冒犯。我谨代表CNN就此向中国人民道歉。”
秦刚表示，我们希望CNN及卡弗蒂本人切实汲取教训，恪守新闻职业道德，避免再次发生类似事件。希望CNN全面、客观、公正地报道中国和中美关系，多做有利于增进两国人民相互了解与友谊和促进中美关系健康发展的事。